NEW YORK - Verizon Online today will introduce a new e-mail security product for small businesses that encrypts e-mail messages to help protect the privacy of their contents as they travel over the Internet. This new service is a complement to Verizon Online's Internet access, e-mail and security product portfolios.

According to market research, 82 percent of business owners and managers who send e-mail over the Internet are aware business and customer data is potentially at risk of interception.

In addition, certain federal and state laws mandate that businesses in some industries maintain the privacy and integrity of personal and financial information. Encrypting e-mail is an important measure that can help businesses protect their sensitive data.

A simple and effective solution for protecting e-mail is now available from Verizon starting today: Verizon Secure Mail, powered by Echoworx encrypted e-mail software. Verizon is the first national Internet service provider in North America to offer an encrypted e-mail subscription service using Echoworx.

"Any business that sends or receives e-mail containing confidential information needs to take steps to protect its proprietary information," said David Rodriguez, director of product management at Verizon. "We believe Verizon Secure Mail is an invaluable service for businesses in all industries to help them keep sensitive information private. Verizon Secure Mail is simple to use and very economical."

After registering for the service, the user will be prompted to download a plug-in. Before sending an e-mail message, users just click on the "Secure" button on their toolbar, and their message - along with any attachments - is immediately encrypted, digitally signed and sent to the recipient. If the recipient is another registered Verizon Secure Mail user, the user can open the message after entering his or her password. Non-subscribers can also receive encrypted e-mail without downloading any software or registering for the service. To view the message, non-subscribers are directed to the Verizon Message pick-up center where they can read the e-mail after answering a secret question known only to the sender and recipient.

"There are more than 1 billion e-mail users sharing information worldwide, and securing that information should be a top priority," said Michael Ginsberg, CEO of Echoworx. "We are proud to be working with Verizon, a world-leading communication provider that is launching a service to protect the privacy of mainstream e-mail users."

Verizon Secure Mail meets the trusted encryption standards (PKI, X.509, S/MIME) that allow e-mails to be sent securely. The service also verifies and authenticates that the message has not been altered, allows the message to be opened only by the intended recipient, and allows users to lock e-mail that they receive so it cannot be viewed by others. All deleted e-mails from Verizon Secure Mail will remain encrypted.

The service is now available nationwide for $6.95 per month per mailbox. The service is available initially to users of Microsoft OutlookTM and Outlook ExpressTM e-mail services. Customers can visit www.business.verizon.net/securemail to sign up.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million customers nationwide, and one of the nation's premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers in 28 states. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of nearly 215,000 and generates annual revenues of more than $71 billion from four business segments: Domestic Telecom, Domestic Wireless, Information Services and International. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

About Echoworx

Echoworx is a provider of security solutions for enhancing privacy and trust in electronic communications. Echoworx security products are designed for enterprises and for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who want to offer branded encrypted email service to the mass market. Echoworx security products are based on industry standard PKI and S/MIME technologies for strong encryption and digital signatures, and are built on the Echoworx Security Services Platform. For more information, visit www.echoworx.com.